1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to computing and in particular to the field of data structures such as interlocking trees datastores.
2. Description of Related Art
Practically, in the field of computer programming, utilities are programs that perform very specific tasks, usually related to managing system resources, but may perform other practical functions as well. Within the realm of traditional relational databases, utilities used to query tables within databases in order to retrieve, update, or track data are fairly common in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,649, entitled “Utility for cross platform database query” teaches a utility for cross platform database query, where the utility resides at an object server in a data system. The utility obtains a set of data items from a library server in the data system; places the set of data items from the library server in a temporary table at the object server; obtains each data item from the temporary table and the base object table; and converts each data item from the temporary table and the base object table, if a conversion is required, such that each data item from the temporary table and the base object table may be compared.
Specifically, in terms of retrieving data from within a database, U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,082, entitled “Method and apparatus for searching database component files to retrieve information from modified files” teaches a method where each database component file contains information regarding the text contained in the source file which enables the user to quickly determine the frequency of occurrence of the specified text and the location of the specified text in the source file.
Updating data in traditional relational databases is addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,215, entitled “Update support in database content management.” This patent teaches a method for updating data objects that are maintained in data storage external to a database management system (DBMS). Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,036, entitled “Method for controlling query and update processing in a database system” teaches a method of performing update transactions in a database system to preserve consistent logical data states at all times.
Determining locations within databases is another function of utilities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,797, entitled, “Method and apparatus for tracking data in a database, employing last-known location registers” teaches a data tracking scheme that employs a “last-known location” register as a part of a data block's ID.
While producing satisfactory results in traditional relational databases, the methods cited above do not apply to KStore technology.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.